Judge Thomas West of Waco’s 19th State District Court ordered Alfred Kilinus Cornelius to remain in the Kerrville State Hospital in Vernon for up to 12 months because doctors there report he continues to be a potential danger to others.

Cornelius, who has been diagnosed with psychotic bipolar disorder, was charged with capital murder in the asphyxiation death of his 15-month-old nephew, Kamari Jae Edwards.

Cornelius’ attorney, Walter Reaves Jr., said he concurs with the decision to keep Cornelius hospitalized, but that he seems to be doing better with treatment and medication.

“It is a pretty tragic situation,” Reaves said. “He killed his sister’s kid, his nephew. He clearly wasn’t in his right mind and was not responsible for what he did and has been locked up or in a mental hospital ever since then. But apparently he is doing much better.”

Cornelius has been recommitted every year since his initial commitment in February 2011. State law requires that criminal defendants ordered hospitalized in state mental facilities be reviewed annually to see if they should be recommitted, released or placed in a less-restrictive environment.

In a report to the court dated June 17, Dr. Vicky Litton at Kerrville State Hospital said without further treatment, including psychotropic medication, Cornelius will continue to suffer severe and abnormal mental, emotional or physical distress and potential loss of the ability to function independently.

One of Cornelius’ “biggest barriers to discharge,” the doctor noted, is that he frequently gets contraband items banned from the facility that he sells to other patients.

“Alfred has been on cell phone restrictions for most of his hospital stay due to a pattern of using these devices to obtain contraband items,” according to the report. “Today he states, ‘I’m trying to be good. I’m looking forward to getting out.’”

Cornelius is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, polysubstance dependence and antisocial personality disorder, according to the hospital report.

Waco police have said Cornelius, who has multiple hospitalizations for mental health problems, was caring for his nephew at the Villages Apartments, 1100 N. Sixth St., when the child was killed.

An autopsy revealed the child died from “mechanical asphyxiation,” which officials say can include suffocation, smothering, strangulation, chest compression, drowning or other means.

According to reports filed in the case, Cornelius admitted to strangling the boy, and said that the “devil was getting to him and that he just had to end it.”

He said he had been off his medication for some time and was hearing voices and hallucinating.